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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23854198">Adventuring</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomgurl77/pseuds/fandomgurl77'>fandomgurl77</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Post-Movie Universe [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Greatest Showman (2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>CarWheeler Baby - Freeform, Childcare, Circus Tour, Circus Train, Cross-country journey, F/M, Flashback, Multi, Period-Typical Racism, Ridiculous laws, Suggestive language, Toddler trouble, Train Breakdown, Train journey, original child character - Freeform, poor Anne, poor phillip, protective brother, sexual suggestion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 21:29:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,795</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23854198</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomgurl77/pseuds/fandomgurl77</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>P.T Barnum's circus goes on tour across North America.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Phillip Carlyle/Anne Wheeler</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Post-Movie Universe [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1718617</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>One and a half years after the birth of Anne and Phillip’s son, Julian, P.T tells them and the rest of the troupe about his plans for the circus…</em>
</p><p> </p><p>‘Good morning, everyone’, P.T said when he walked through the entrance.</p><p>‘Good morning, P.T’, everyone said.</p><p>‘P.D!’ Julian said while sitting on one of the benches with Anne.</p><p>‘It’s <em>P.T</em>, Julian’, Anne said, ‘He’s got something to say to us, so it’s hush-hush time.’</p><p>‘Ok’, Julian said as he sat down on the bench.</p><p> </p><p>‘Everyone, I’ve got an important announcement’, P.T said, ‘I’ve decided that it’s time to tour the country.’</p><p>‘O…k?’ everyone said with confused voices, ‘But what about transport?’</p><p>‘I’ve been able to purchase a few carriages and boxcars that can be renovated to suit our needs’, P.T said.</p><p>‘Sounds great’, Phillip said, ‘Are Charity, Caroline and Helen going to come with us?’</p><p>‘Unfortunately, the girls have school, so they won’t be able to join us’, P.T said, ‘However, we’ll be able to communicate with each other by sending letters.’</p><p>‘One more question’, Phillip said, ‘What do you mean by “we”?’</p><p>‘I’ll be joining you for the tour’, P.T said.</p><p>‘Yay!’ Julian shouted.</p><p>‘Julian, no!’ Anne snapped, causing the one-and-a-half-year-old to tear up slightly.</p><p>‘Sorry, Mummy’, he said softly.</p><p> </p><p>‘Thanks, Anne’, P.T said, ‘Anyway, the train cars are waiting in the siding behind the station, so let’s start packing up!’</p><p>‘Yes’, everyone said as they stood up.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>‘So, Anne’, Phillip said as he was emptying the bedside drawers of books and putting them into a brown suitcase, ‘This will be Julian’s first time on a train.’</p><p>‘Not to mention the first time out of the state for you and most of the troupe’, Anne said, ‘Anyway, it will be an adventure for everyone.’</p><p>‘I know’, Phillip said, ‘He’s going to absolutely love travelling with us.’</p><p>‘Speaking of that’, Anne said, ‘I need to go and pack everything away for us.’</p><p>‘Ok’, Phillip said as he began folding and packing clothes, ‘See you later.’</p><p> </p><p>‘Right’, Anne thought as she picked up a large leather bag and opened it on the bed before folding her outfit and placing it inside, followed by her pink wig, ‘First thing’s first.’</p><p>Over the next few minutes, the bag became gradually larger as it was filled with clothing, books and make-up containers.</p><p>‘There’, she said as she pulled the drawstrings closed, ‘Now for Julian.’</p><p> </p><p>It was then that Julian began crying.</p><p>‘What’s wrong, dear?’ Anne said as she picked him up off the floor before she noticed that something didn’t feel right, ‘Oh…’</p><p>‘Phillip’, she said when she opened his door, ‘It has happened again…’</p><p>‘Right’, Phillip said as he closed the door and took Julian over to a small table in the bottom left-hand corner of the room, ‘Let’s get you cleaned up, Julian.’</p><p> </p><p>‘This will have to be put out with the laundry’, Phillip said when he opened the door.</p><p>‘Did someone say “laundry”?’ Lettie asked before she was given a cloth.</p><p>‘This cloth will need to be cleaned’, Phillip said.</p><p>‘Ugh’, Lettie said when she realised what he meant, ‘Why do <em>I </em>have to do the dirty work around here?’</p><p>‘Maybe it’s because you’re the one who has previous experience with washing clothes and sheets’, Phillip said.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>‘Right’, P.T said at 8:00 the following morning to the troupe in front of the siding containing the carriages and boxcars just as a horse and cart carrying the folded-up tent pulled up, ‘All we have to do now is to get this and ourselves on the train, and we’ll be ready to leave.’</p><p>‘Where are we going first?’ Phillip asked.</p><p>‘I was planning to go down south into the Carolinas first’, P.T replied.</p><p>‘Ok’, the troupe said before they boarded the carriages and sat down.</p><p> </p><p>‘Hold on a minute’, Anne said to Phillip, who was sitting beside her and Julian in the other seat beside the window, ‘I’m a bit uneasy going through there again.’</p><p>‘Don’t worry’, Phillip said, ‘Just remember that you’re with us this time.’</p><p>‘Yes’, W.D said from the seat in front of Anne’s, ‘It won’t be that bad.’</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Fifteen minutes later…</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>‘Finally’, P.T said before he sat down, ‘The locomotive that will be pulling the train has just connected and is ready to go.’</p><p>A few seconds passed before the train moved out of the siding onto the main tracks, out of the city and into the countryside.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘Look, Julian’, Anne said when she picked him up and faced the window, ‘We’re in South Carolina, where I was born.’</p><p>‘Wow!’ Julian said as lush green fields and houses passed by the window, before the train crossed an all-too familiar bridge over a small river and made a left-turn.</p><p>It was then that the train entered another siding and pulled into the station.</p><p>‘Right’, P.T said as he stood up, ‘We’re here, in the town of Greenbank.’</p><p> </p><p>While everything was being unpacked and set up outside, P.T had a talk with Anne and Phillip in the empty carriage.</p><p>‘Now, Anne’, he said, ‘I believe you’re aware of the law in this state regarding inter-racial relationships, right?’</p><p>‘Yes, P.T’, Anne said.</p><p>‘What law is this?’ Phillip asked.</p><p>‘Carolina, like many other states, has an anti-miscegenation law, so you must not be seen together outside the carriage, in the main part of the tent during or just after a show, or any public place. In other words, until we leave the state, your relationship is technically illegal.’</p><p>‘What!?’ Phillip said in shock, ‘That’s absolutely ridiculous!’</p><p>‘I know’, P.T said, ‘But, the law is the law, no matter how silly it seems.’</p><p>‘Hopefully, this insane law will be revoked permanently one day’, Phillip said.</p><p>‘I sure hope so’, Anne said.</p><p>‘Speaking of this’, Phillip said, ‘What about Julian?’</p><p>‘He’ll be ok with Anne in public, since he’s black’, P.T said, ‘However, you cannot be seen with him either.’</p><p>‘Seriously’, Phillip said, ‘I can’t believe that our family will be forcibly separated in public due to a ridiculous law.’</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Later that day, Anne decided to take Julian out for a stroll.</p><p>‘Phillip’, she said, ‘I’ll just be taking Julian out for some fresh air and a look around town. We won’t be long.’</p><p>‘Ok’, Phillip said before she and Julian left the carriage, ‘See you later.’</p><p> </p><p>‘Right’, Anne said to Julian, ‘Time to have a look around this place.’</p><p>As Anne was walking down the street, there were the usual stares and insults coming from passers-by, including the most horrible of words.</p><p>‘Just ignore them, Julian’, she said when he began tearing up in response to the insults, ‘You could never be more perfect than you are now.’</p><p> </p><p>A few seconds later, they stopped beside a familiar brick and metal bar fence.</p><p>‘Beyond this fence is the house where I spent the first five years of my life’, Anne said as she approached the big metal gates, ‘O’Brien Farm.’</p><p>‘Hey!’ a tall grey-haired man said as he ran up to the gates from the house, ‘Who are you and what do you want?’</p><p>‘Good afternoon, sir’, Anne said, immediately recognising who this man was, ‘I’m Anne Wheeler.’</p><p>‘Anne?’ the man, Fredrick O’Brien, said as he thought for a few seconds, ‘Oh my goodness, it is you!’</p><p> </p><p>‘So’, he said, ‘How have things been for you?’</p><p>‘Well, I and my brother are acrobats and trapeze artists and were hired by P.T Barnum for the circus nearly three years ago; we are just finishing with setting up and the first show will be tomorrow at 2:30 p.m.’, Anne said.</p><p>‘I’ll be sure to be there then’, Mr. O’Brien said before he noticed Julian, ‘One more question, who is that you’re holding in your arms?’</p><p>‘This is my son, Julian’, Anne said, ‘Say hello to Mr. O’Brien, Julian.’</p><p>‘Hi’, Julian said.</p><p>‘Hey there, Julian’, Mr O’Brien said, ‘I’m Fredrick O’Brien. Anyway, Anne, how old is he?’</p><p>‘He’s one-and-a-half’, Anne said.</p><p>‘I see’, Mr. O’Brien said before he realised something, ‘If you don’t mind me asking, where’s his father?’</p><p>‘Oh’, Anne said as she desperately tried to think of a believable answer, ‘Um…he’s no longer with me.’</p><p>‘Oh?’ Mr. O’Brien asked while looking shocked by her answer, ‘What happened?’</p><p>‘We separated a few months after Julian was born’, Anne replied, ‘But the rest of the troupe helps out with taking care of him.’</p><p>‘I see’, Mr O’ Brien said, ‘Well, it’s been nice to see you again, Anne.’</p><p>‘You too’, Anne said as Julian waved, ‘See you tomorrow!’</p><p>‘See you!’ Mr O’Brien said as she walked away.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>At 2:20 the next afternoon…</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>‘P.T’, Phillip said, ‘Since this is the first show of the tour, I believe I should be the ringmaster.’</p><p>‘Are you sure?’ P.T asked, ‘What if something happens with Julian and Anne needs your help?’</p><p>‘Nothing’s going to happen’, Phillip replied, ‘Besides, you’ll be ready to take over if anything should happen, and it’s only a one-off thing.’</p><p>‘Um…ok’, P.T said as the stands began filling up, ‘The show starts in just over five minutes, so you’ll need to go and get dressed.’</p><p>‘Yes’, Phillip said before he disappeared up the hall.</p><p> </p><p>Five minutes later, when everyone was in their starting positions and the audience, including Anne and Julian, were quiet, Phillip took his place in front of the middle ring and welcomed the audience before introducing the first act.</p><p>‘DADDY!’ Julian shouted as he pointed to him.</p><p>‘Shhh!’ Anne said in response, ‘Let’s just let him do his job, ok?’</p><p>‘Ok’, Julian said as he lay down on the front bench beside her and watched the opening number.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Forty-five minutes later…</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>‘Wow!’ Julian said in awe while he watched W.D flying from one side of the tent to the other on the trapeze before landing on his platform five minutes later, taking a bow and exiting the ring.</p><p>‘Let’s hear it for W.D Wheeler!’ Phillip said as Jumbo and one of the other elephants entered the main ring alongside their trainers while the audience cheered, ‘Now for the incredible Jumbo and Alice!’</p><p>‘Mummy!’ Julian said when Jumbo put his front legs onto a square-shaped platform and lifted his rear into the air while Alice lay down, ‘Elphans!’</p><p>‘Yes, I see them’, Anne said, ‘Now, please be quiet.’</p><p>‘Yes, Mummy’, Julian said.</p><p> </p><p>Finally, the finale finished after a total time of an hour and ten minutes, which was when the audience started to vacate the stands and leave.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Later that evening…</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>‘Thanks for coming, Anne’, Phillip said as she climbed into one of the carriages, ‘Where’s Julian?’</p><p>‘He’s gone to bed in my room’, Anne said as she closed the door, ‘Don’t worry, I made sure he was tucked in tightly.’</p><p>‘Thank goodness’, Phillip said before closing the curtains over the nearest four windows and kissing her, ‘I love you.’</p><p>‘Me too’, Anne said, ‘I can’t believe what we’re doing right now is illegal here.’</p><p>‘As long as the public doesn’t know, we’re safe’, Phillip said.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly, there was a loud bang on the door.</p><p>‘Oh no!’ Anne said, ‘We’ve been caught!’</p><p>‘I’m sure we haven’t’, Phillip said as he walked to the door and opened it, revealing Lettie on the other side.</p><p>‘Phew!’ Anne said, ‘I thought you were a police officer for a minute there.’</p><p>‘Well, I’m not’, Lettie said, ‘But I do have some urgent news for you.’</p><p>‘What is it?’ Phillip asked.</p><p>‘Julian has woken up and is crying out for you’, Lettie replied.</p><p>‘Ok’, Phillip said as he bolted to the tent, down the hall and into Anne’s room, followed by Anne.</p><p> </p><p>‘Looks like he wants you to feed him, Anne’, Phillip said as he untucked Julian and picked him up out of the cot.</p><p>‘Oh, my goodness’, Anne said in response as he handed him to her, ‘I forgot about your dinner, didn’t I, Julian?’</p><p>‘I guess I’ll leave you to it’, Phillip said before he walked out and closed the door.</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile, unknowingly to Phillip, Anne or the rest of the troupe, a sixteen-year old girl was sure that she had seen a white hand and a brown hand interlocked with each other through a gap in the curtains over one of the carriage windows, so she ran off towards the police station.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This chapter (and the next two) are rather long since the endings (and subsequent beginnings) would have been awkward otherwise.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘Good morning, Mr. Barnum’, a policeman said at the entrance to the tent, ‘I’m Officer Gibson and I’ve received information regarding unlawful activities at your circus from a member of the public.’</p><p>‘What sort of “unlawful activities?”’ P.T asked in a confused voice.</p><p>‘The informant claimed to have seen evidence of an inter-racial relationship, which, if true, is a breach of the state’s anti-miscegenation law and is punishable by imprisonment of the accused’, Mr. Gibson said.</p><p>‘I can assure you that there’s no such thing that either has happened or is happening here that fits that description’, P.T said, ‘I’ll even let you look around to see for yourself.’</p><p>‘Thanks’, Mr. Gibson said before P.T disappeared up the hall and around the corner before opening Anne’s door.</p><p>‘Phillip’, he said, ‘I’m afraid you’ll have to leave for now.’</p><p>‘What for?’ Phillip asked.</p><p>‘There’s a policeman in the main part of the tent who was tipped off by a member of the public who claimed to have seen “evidence of an inter-racial relationship”’, P.T replied, ‘If he catches you two in here together…well…it could very possibly mean jail.’</p><p>‘Ok’, Phillip said, ‘But what about Julian?’</p><p>‘As I’ve said before, he can stay in here with Anne’, P.T said.</p><p>‘Ok then’, Phillip said as he was followed by him into the hall where everyone was gathered.</p><p> </p><p>‘Why is a policeman here?’ Lettie asked.</p><p>‘He’s looking for “evidence of an inter-racial relationship” taking place within the circus’, P.T replied, ‘Because of this, I’ve told Phillip to stay away from Anne and Julian until he’s gone.’</p><p>‘Oh my…’ W.D said, ‘Plus, the punishment for breaching the law can be far worse than imprisonment…trust me, I and Anne have seen it first-hand in this very area.’</p><p>‘What do you mean?’ P.T asked.</p><p>‘Well, Anne’s father was white and was caught with our mother the night we were set free’, W.D replied, ‘The result was them being shot while I and Anne hid in a boxcar of a nearby train.’</p><p>‘Unbelievable!’ P.T said, ‘They were…<em>murdered</em>?’</p><p>‘Tragically, yes’, W.D said while holding back tears, ‘Those people will <strong>never </strong>be forgiven for what they’ve done to our lives, and it’s all because of a <em>stupid </em>half-baked law!’</p><p>
  
</p><p>‘Excuse me, coming through’, Mr. Gibson said, ‘You’d be pleased to know that the main area and these rooms are clear.’</p><p>‘Good’, P.T said as he moved out of the way, ‘Please proceed and carry on with your duties.’</p><p>‘Thanks’, Mr. Gibson said before he disappeared around the corner.</p><p>‘Right’, P.T said, ‘We can all go back to what we were doing now.’</p><p>‘Ok’, everyone said.</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile, Phillip had just opened the back door to the hall when he encountered Mr. Gibson.</p><p>‘Good morning’, he said, ‘Who are you?’</p><p>‘I’m Officer Gibson’, Mr. Gibson replied, ‘I take it that you’re Phillip Carlyle, the main ringmaster here.’</p><p>‘Yes, I am’, Phillip said, ‘Anyway, what are you here for?’</p><p>‘A member of the public claimed last night that they saw evidence of an inter-racial relationship occurring here. You wouldn’t happen to know about it, would you?’</p><p>‘Most certainly not!’ Phillip said, ‘I or anyone else here would have reported such a crime immediately!’</p><p>‘Ok’, Mr. Gibson said after a few long seconds, ‘Just checking.’</p><p>‘I’ll let you go back to your duties now’, Phillip said before he walked away, ‘Goodbye!’</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Two seconds later…</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>‘Sorry to disturb you, mam, but I want to ask you something’, Mr. Gibson said to Anne.</p><p>‘Ok’, Anne said, ‘By the way, I’m Anne Wheeler.’</p><p>‘Have you seen any sign of an inter-racial relationship around here?’ Mr. Gibson asked.</p><p>‘No’, Anne replied.</p><p> </p><p>‘By the way, who’s this little fellow?’ he asked when he saw Julian lying on the bed.</p><p>‘Oh’, Anne said, ‘This is my son, Julian.’</p><p>It was then that Mr. Gibson connected the name “Julian” and his bright blue eyes together.</p><p>‘Pardon me, Anne’, he said, ‘But that name and his eyes sound and look…very…<em>European</em>.’</p><p>‘What do you mean?’ Anne asked.</p><p>‘I think I’ve caught you red-handed!’ Mr. Gibson replied, ‘You are officially under arrest and charged with breaching the anti-miscegenation law by engaging in an inter-racial relationship!’</p><p>‘I’d <strong>never </strong>do such a thing!’ Anne said as Mr. Gibson put handcuffs on her wrists.</p><p>‘Tell it to the judge, Anne’, Mr. Gibson said as he opened the door and guided her out of the room, only to be greeted by W.D. in the hall.</p><p> </p><p>‘Sorry to interrupt’, he said, ‘But I believe that she’s innocent.’</p><p>‘Give me one good reason why she should be let go’, Mr. Gibson said.</p><p>‘I’m the father of the child in there’, W.D lied.</p><p>‘Hold on a minute!’ Mr. Gibson said, ‘If you’re his father, then why does he have striking bright blue eyes and have the name “Julian?”’</p><p>‘My mother had bright blue eyes’, W.D said as he handed him a piece of paper, which turned out to be Ethel Wheeler’s birth certificate, ‘It says “Azure blue” under “Eye colour”.’</p><p>‘Yes’, Mr. Gibson replied, ‘But that still doesn’t explain his name.’</p><p>‘She had a son named Julian who tragically died when he was five’, W.D lied, ‘He was a great and energetic young boy who loved nature and bugs. Because of this, we decided to name our son after him.’</p><p>‘Ok’, Mr. Gibson said, ‘One more thing, where’s his birth certificate?’</p><p>‘Here it is’, W.D said, when he gave it to him.</p><p>‘Hm…’ Mr. Gibson said as he began reading it, date of birth was 17<sup>th</sup> March 1872; father’s full name is W.D Wheeler; mother’s full name is Anne Wheeler; eye colour is “azure blue”; gender is male; child’s full name is Julian Wheeler.’</p><p>‘So, do you believe us now with this evidence?’ W.D asked.</p><p>‘Um…yes’, Mr. Gibson said as he unlocked the handcuffs, ‘I’m sorry for the distress I caused you to go through.’</p><p>‘Thank you, Mr. Gibson’, W.D said.</p><p>‘I wish you all the best with your son’, Mr. Gibson said as he walked away, ‘Goodbye!’</p><p> </p><p>‘How did you get Julian’s birth certificate to end up like that?’ Anne asked.</p><p>‘Easy’, W.D replied, ‘It’s an exact copy I made and filled in for situations like this.’</p><p>‘By the way’, Anne said, ‘Mum never had a son named Julian, did she?’</p><p>‘No’, W.D said, ‘I made that part up to sound more convincing.’</p><p> </p><p>‘Anne’, Phillip said when he appeared from around the corner, ‘Julian wants you now.’</p><p>‘Better go with Phillip’, W.D said, ‘The poor guy doesn’t know where you are or what’s happened to you.’</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Three weeks later, the circus was on the move again, this time heading to Colorado Springs, Colorado.</p><p>‘Right’, P.T said, ‘It will be one and a half days before we reach the next stop on the tour, so be sure to make yourselves comfortable.’</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Later that evening…</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>‘Right’, Phillip said when he opened the door to a compact cabin fitted out like a bedroom in one of the three sleeper cars, ‘This is your and Julian’s room for the night.’</p><p>‘But what about you?’ Anne asked.</p><p>‘I’ll be in the room directly across the main isle’, Phillip replied while Julian picked up one of his books, moved across the red leather bench to the window and dropped it out.</p><p>‘Julian!’ Phillip said when he noticed him pick another book up and drop it out the window a few seconds later, ‘No!’</p><p>‘Those are daddy’s books, dear’, Anne said as she picked Julian up while Phillip pulled on the emergency stop cable running along the top of the window, ‘You can’t just throw them around.’</p><p>‘Mum’s right’, Phillip said, ‘Now I’ll have to go out and find them in the dark!’</p><p>‘Sorry, Daddy’, Julian said.</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile, the sudden, unexpected stop had caused many disruptions throughout the train. Firstly, Lettie and P.T were knocked over while they were talking about the next show in one of the other sleeper cars; secondly, plates and glasses in the diner car flew off the tables and shelves and smashed; thirdly, W.D stubbed his big toe when the force pushed him against the door of his room and uttered an expletive that no-one would approve of, and finally, all the animals in the modified boxcars behind the carriages were completely panicked.</p><p> </p><p>‘Someone must have pulled the emergency stop cable’, P.T said when he stood up and before he walked out of the room and across to the first sleeper car.</p><p>‘Sorry, P.T’, Phillip said when he opened the door to Anne’s room, ‘I pulled the cable.’</p><p>‘What for?’ P.T asked.</p><p>‘Well…Julian has thrown some of my books out the window and I need to go outside and bring them back’, Phillip replied.</p><p>‘Ok’, P.T said as Phillip opened the front door and climbed down the steps to the ground to find the books.</p><p> </p><p>‘Look what you’ve caused, Julian’, Anne said as she shut the window, ‘Firstly, P.T was knocked over in the car behind us, secondly, I heard glass breaking in the diner car up front, and goodness knows what happened anywhere else, all because of you throwing the books out the window!’</p><p>‘The diner car!’ P.T said before he ran out the front door and through the next car, ‘Oh no…’</p><p> </p><p>‘AAAHHH!’ he shrieked in horror when he opened the door to the diner car and saw a mess of shattered plates and glasses strewn across the floor, ‘Not the good glasses and chinaware!’</p><p>‘What’s happened in here, P.T?’ Lettie asked.</p><p>‘All the good stuff…gone like that…’ P.T replied while staring at the mess in front of him, completely flabbergasted.</p><p>‘Oh, my goodness!’ Lettie said when she looked up and saw the mess, ‘What could have caused this destruction?’</p><p>‘I believe it happened when the train stopped suddenly a few minutes ago; Anne said she heard glass breaking up here’, P.T said, ‘Anyway, Charity is not going to be happy about our anniversary glasses being broken…’</p><p>‘How come?’ Lettie asked.</p><p>‘Because we received them as a gift on our 1<sup>st</sup> anniversary just over eleven years ago’, P.T replied, ‘Not to mention that I brought them with us without her knowing…’</p><p>‘Well’, Lettie said as she bought a broom and dustpan in with her from the bathroom, ‘You should just send her a letter apologising for and explaining what has happened. But let’s clean this mess up first before anyone stands on it tomorrow morning.’</p><p>‘Yes’, P.T said, ‘We don’t want any injuries occurring.’</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile, the train had pulled into a siding for the night and the door on the locomotive’s cab had been shut and locked by the driver before he had walked along the train and into the caboose at the rear, while Phillip had come face-to-face with a coyote as he picked the last book up.</p><p>‘AAAHHH!’ he shrieked as it bared its teeth and chased him back to the sleeper car.</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile, Anne had just put Julian to bed when there was a loud bang at the front door, followed by panicked shouting.</p><p>‘Coming’, she said as she walked to the door and opened it, nearly being knocked over when a terrified Phillip burst in.</p><p>‘Sorry Anne’, he said, ‘There’s a coyote out there that has followed me here.’</p><p>‘Oh my!’ Anne said as she promptly closed the door and locked it, causing the coyote to pace back and forth along the length of the car, ‘They must be hunting for food around here.’</p><p>‘Thank goodness I found my books then’, Phillip said as he put them on the table, ‘Because I don’t want to become their next meal.’</p><p>‘Anyway, we’re safe inside’, Anne said.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Back in the diner car…</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>‘Phew!’ Lettie said as she looked at the now spotless floor, ‘All safe for the morning.’</p><p>‘Come on, let’s go and write that letter’, P.T said as he opened the door, only to see a pack of coyotes surrounding the car before slamming and locking it, ‘On second thought, we should sleep in here tonight.’</p><p>‘I think you’re right’, Lettie said as she closed the last curtain over the window beside her when she saw the coyotes swarming around outside, ‘They’ll be gone by breakfast time.’</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Trigger Warning: a falcon is found dead in front of the circus train at the beginning of this chapter.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After breakfast the next morning, Phillip discovered something horrible in front of the locomotive.</p><p>‘P.T!’ he said after he climbed up the steps at the front of the diner car and burst in through the door, ‘There’s a large bird that’s lying dead in front of the train!’</p><p>‘Right’, P.T said before they climbed down and walked to the where the carcass was, ‘What type of bird is it?’</p><p>‘It seems to be a young falcon, going by the colour of the plumage’, Phillip said as they looked at the partially plucked and bloodied remains, ‘It looks like it has been attacked and half-eaten as well.’</p><p>‘It must have been killed by one of the coyotes earlier this morning’, P.T said, ‘Anyway, we’ll have to move it off the tracks and cover it.’</p><p>‘I’ll go and get a sheet to move it’, Phillip said.</p><p>‘No need to’, P.T said, ‘I’ve found a couple of long sticks we can use like giant chopsticks to pick it up with.’</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>Seven hours later…</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>‘Finally’, P.T said when he stood up just as the train pulled into the station, ‘We’re here in Colorado Springs.’</p><p>‘Will we be legally separated here like in Carolina?’ Phillip asked.</p><p>‘No’, P.T replied, ‘Colorado dropped its anti-miscegenation law after the Civil War, so you’re safe here.’</p><p>‘Isn’t this fantastic news, Anne?’ Phillip said, ‘We’ll be able to be together in public as a family, and it will be perfectly legal!’</p><p>‘But what will people say?’ Anne said, ‘We’ll be branded as “that weird family.”’</p><p>‘Who cares what people say or think?’ Phillip said, ‘We’ll be a unique family unit, just like the circus.’</p><p>‘I suppose you’re right’, Anne said as she stood up and picked Julian up off the seat beside her, ‘Besides, we need to start unpacking and setting up for the show tomorrow evening.’</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>End of Part 8.</strong>
</p><p>At 1:00 the next afternoon, Phillip joined Anne and Julian on a walk around town before the show.</p><p>‘Glad you could come, Phillip’, Anne said, ‘Because I…’</p><p>‘Um, well, I have many times before, you know’, Phillip said.</p><p>‘You can’t talk like that in front of Julian!’ Anne said after a few seconds.</p><p>‘Oh’, Phillip said, ‘Sorry.’</p><p>‘Anyway, I’ve found a little café just up the road that sells these plump-looking muffins of all different flavours, so I thought we could go there this afternoon’, Anne said.</p><p>‘Ok’, Phillip said as they walked down the road, attracting stares from startled and confused residents.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>At the café…</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>‘Welcome’, said the woman behind the counter, Gladys, ‘You must be Anne Wheeler.’</p><p>‘Yes’, Anne said, ‘I’m a trapeze artist at the circus that has just finished setting up down the road.’</p><p>‘Anyway’, Gladys said, ‘Who’s the little fellow there?’</p><p>‘This is my son, Julian’, Anne said.</p><p>‘And I’m his father, Phillip Carlyle’, Phillip said as he walked in.</p><p>‘Oh?’ Gladys asked with a confused expression, ‘You’re married?’</p><p>‘Not yet’, Phillip replied, ‘But we will be in the future.’</p><p>‘Well, the very fact that you’ve had a child together is a bold and brave move’, Gladys said.</p><p>‘I know’, Phillip said, ‘My parents would never have approved of it.’</p><p>‘Anyway’, Anne said, ‘Can I get a blueberry and dark chocolate muffin please?’</p><p>‘And I’ll get a vanilla muffin, please’, Phillip said.</p><p>‘Sure’, Gladys said, ‘That will be $6.00.’</p><p>‘Thanks’, Phillip said when he handed six one dollar notes over.</p><p>‘Your stuff will be brought over in a couple of minutes’, Gladys said when she gave him a sign that displayed a large red square-shaped nine.</p><p>‘Thank you’, Anne said, ‘And the sign looks cool.’</p><p> </p><p>‘Right’, Phillip said as he sat down on his chair at the table, ‘I’ve got a plan for the finale tonight that I think you’ll like.’</p><p>‘What is it?’ Anne asked.</p><p>‘I can’t say it around all these people’, Phillip replied, ‘But I assure you that it will be really...um...spectacular.’</p><p>‘Here’s the blueberry and dark chocolate muffin’, Gladys said as she put it on the table in front of Anne and put the vanilla one in front of Phillip, ‘And here’s the vanilla muffin.’</p><p>‘Thanks’, Anne said before Gladys took the sign away.</p><p> </p><p>‘Here Julian’, Anne said as she cut her muffin into quarters and put the smallest piece in front of him, ‘It’s blueberry and dark chocolate.</p><p>However, as soon as he saw the whole blueberry in the middle, he pushed it away.</p><p>‘Nuh-uh’, he said.</p><p>‘Oh’, Anne said when she realised why he had refused it and removed the blueberry before returning it to him, ‘Better?’</p><p>‘Yummy!’ he said before he ate it, albeit getting melted chocolate and crumbs around his mouth.</p><p>‘Here’, Anne said as she wiped his face with a serviette, ‘All clean!’</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>At 8:30 that evening…</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>‘It’s been a great show so far, hasn’t it, Julian?’ P.T said just as Anne finished her routine with W.D on the trapeze, ‘Your mum and uncle are amazing together up there in the air.’</p><p>‘Yes, P.D’, Julian said as Anne and W.D took a bow and left via one of the side rings.</p><p>‘Anyway, the finale is up next’, P.T said before Phillip stood in front of the main ring and announced the closing act to the audience.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Two minutes later…</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>‘THIS IS THE GREATEST SHOW!!’ the troupe sang at the end of the song as Phillip spun Anne around to face him, leant her back and kissed her, causing the audience to go quiet with shock for a few seconds before clapping and cheering.</p><p> </p><p>‘That was…spectacular’, P.T said to Phillip and Anne when they walked over to him after the audience had left, ‘Especially the part at the end.’</p><p>‘Mummy!’ Julian said as Anne picked him up off the bench.</p><p>‘Thanks for taking care of him tonight, P.T’, Anne said.</p><p>‘No problem’, P.T said.</p><p>‘Anyway’, Phillip said, ‘It’s around his bedtime.’</p><p>‘Yes’, Anne said before they both walked up the hall.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Five minutes later…</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>‘What are we doing in the carriage again?’ Phillip asked as he closed the door behind him.</p><p>‘We don’t want anyone to disturb us’, Anne said as she walked from side to side down the carriage closing the curtains over the windows, ‘The way you kissed me before makes me want to do it again.’</p><p>‘Yes’, Phillip asked, ‘But there is no need to close the curtains just for that; remember, it’s perfectly legal here.’</p><p>‘No’, Anne said, ‘I meant more <em>intense</em> this time.’</p><p>‘Suppose I could go with that’, Phillip said as they sat down on one of the benches at the front of the carriage and kissed until he was lying on top of her.</p><p>‘How far are we going to go with this?’ he asked.</p><p>‘<em>All the way</em>’, Anne replied.</p><p>‘I like the sound of that’, Phillip said, ‘But are you sure you want to do it here? We could always go to the sleeper car for added comfort.’</p><p>‘No thanks’, Anne said, ‘I’ve got all the <em>comfort </em>I need right here, thanks to you.’</p><p>‘But what if it ends up like it did last time?’ Phillip asked.</p><p>‘There is something that you can do to prevent that from occurring’, Anne replied, ‘But it does get a little messy if you know what I mean….’</p><p>‘What does it involve?’ Phillip asked before Anne whispered something in his ear.</p><p>‘Good thing I bought a cloth then’, he said before they continued.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Ten minutes later…</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>‘That was fantastic, Anne’, Phillip said before he stood up and put his coat back on.</p><p>‘I’ll say’, Anne said as she stood up, ‘I could swear that the carriage was moving back and forth a bit.’</p><p>‘Maybe’, Phillip teased, ‘Or perhaps it was us doing all the “moving around.”’</p><p>‘Anyway’, Anne said as they walked through the door, locked it, climbed down to the ground and headed back to the tent, ‘Better clean the cloth off as much as possible and put it on the laundry pile.’</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Five months later, the train was an hour north-east of Tulsa, Oklahoma when the locomotive and coal car derailed after hitting an escaped cow.</p><p>‘Everyone’, P.T said, ‘Unfortunately, the locomotive has come off the rails and will take approximately half a day to put back on, so we won’t be reaching our next destination today.’</p><p>‘Oh no’, the troupe said in shock, ‘This is just terrible!’</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Outside at the front of the train…</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>‘Are you alright?’ P.T asked the driver.</p><p>‘I’m fine’, he replied, ‘Just a bit shaken. that’s all.’</p><p>‘I wonder what caused the derailment in the first place’, P.T said.</p><p>‘I’m pretty certain that we sideswiped a cow that had wandered too close to the tracks’, the driver said, ‘Or that’s what I remember, anyway.’</p><p>‘I’ll go and send a message to the rescue people to bring a crane to lift the locomotive back on to the tracks’, P.T said before he walked for fifteen minutes to the nearest station.</p><p> </p><p>‘Good afternoon, sir’, he said to a man standing outside, ‘The train I was on has derailed fifteen minutes north of here, so I need to contact the breakdown people to help us out.’</p><p>‘Follow me’, the man said as they walked inside and into a small room with a telegraph on the table, ‘I’ll go and get an operator for you.’</p><p>‘Thanks, but I’m fluent in Morse Code, so that won’t be necessary’, P.T said.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Back at the train…</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>‘Well’, Anne said, ‘Since we’re stuck here for the time being, how’s about we go outside and have a look around?’</p><p>‘Sounds like a great idea!’ Phillip said, ‘I’ll go and get Julian.’</p><p>‘Ok’, Anne said before he closed the door to the room.</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile, Julian had somehow managed to get outside the sleeper car and climb to the ground without anyone noticing.</p><p> </p><p>‘Anne!’ Phillip said with a worried voice when he slid her door open again, ‘Julian is not in my room!’</p><p>It was then that Anne noticed that the door to the outside of the car was slightly open.</p><p>‘Oh gosh!’ she said as she opened it completely, ‘He must have gone out here and down the steps!’</p><p>‘We better go and find him then’, Phillip said as they hurried out and down, ‘He can’t have gone far.’</p><p> </p><p>A couple of minutes later, they arrived in the small town of Newwood as indicated by a large, metal sign.</p><p>‘Anne’, Phillip said, ‘It looks like we’re in the town of Newwood, going by the sign we passed before.’</p><p>‘Newwood?’ Anne said, ‘That’s a weird name for a town.’</p><p>‘Yes, I suppose so’, Phillip said after a few seconds, ‘It sounds kind of wrong, when you think about it…’</p><p>‘Can’t you focus on anything other than <em>that </em>sort of thing?’ Anne said, ‘Besides, we need to find our son!’</p><p>‘Yes’, Phillip said, ‘We only have a few hours before dark to find him.’</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly, Anne spotted a police officer up the road walking towards them, albeit he wasn’t looking at them.</p><p>‘Quick’, she said as she and Phillip ran behind a small wooden building, ‘Hide!’</p><p>‘Why are we hiding?’ Phillip asked.</p><p>‘I just remembered that this state has an anti-miscegenation law as well’, Anne replied.</p><p>‘Oh, great’, Phillip said, ‘Now what will we do if we can’t be seen together?’</p><p>‘I’ll go searching for him while you stay here’, Anne said before she ran down the road.</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile, Julian was watching a trail of ants under a bridge when he was surrounded by a group of young adults.</p><p>‘Hey, you!’ one of the women in the group said, ‘Get out of town!’</p><p>‘Yes!’ the rest of them shouted as they collectively moved towards him, causing him to cry out in fear.</p><p>‘JULIAN!’ Anne shouted as she ran to him and picked him up, ‘Let’s get you back home, dear.’</p><p>‘Hey, woman!’ the group shouted, ‘What are you doing here?’</p><p>‘Listen’, Anne said, ‘I know what you were going to do to my son, you racist cowards!’</p><p>‘Get the stupid…’ a man in the group shouted before being bonked over the head with a long and heavy branch, causing him to nearly fall over.</p><p> </p><p>‘Phillip!’ Anne said as she ran up the road and past the building he was behind, ‘I found Julian.’</p><p>‘Great’, Phillip said, ‘Let’s go back to the train.’</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>20 minutes later…</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>‘Anne’, Phillip said as he looked out his window at an angry crowd coming towards the train, ‘Who are these people?’</p><p>‘Oh my’, Anne said, ‘They’ve followed us here…’</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Fifteen minutes later, P.T was just about to climb up the steps at the front of one of the normal carriages when he saw a group of people surrounding one of the windows of one of the sleeper cars.</p><p>‘What’s going on here?’ he thought as he approached them.</p><p>‘Who are <strong>you </strong>to be transporting <em>them </em>in luxury like this!?’ a man shouted.</p><p>‘What do you mean?’ P.T asked.</p><p>It was then that one of the group members saw a name on the side of the sleeper car.</p><p>‘A circus, eh?’ he asked, ‘Gives us more of a reason to hate you and your collection of freaks and sp…’</p><p>‘Hey!’ Lettie shouted from behind him, ‘Who are you to use the “fr” word to describe us?’</p><p>‘And who are <strong>you </strong>to ask us about it, fuzz-face?’ the man asked.</p><p> </p><p>‘What’s going on here?’ a policeman riding a horse said as he approached the group.</p><p>‘These troublemakers were throwing insults and racial slurs at us’, P.T replied.</p><p>‘Not to mention threatening us with physical harm’, Phillip said from inside the sleeper car.</p><p>‘Ok everyone’, the policeman said to the group, ‘Let’s go back home now.’</p><p>‘And what if we don’t?’ the same man asked.</p><p>‘Well’, the policeman replied, ‘How does jail sound to you?’</p><p>‘You know what, let’s go’, the man said as the group dispersed.</p><p> </p><p>Thank you very much’, P.T said to the policeman.</p><p>‘No problem’, he said, ‘That group is known around town to harass people for no apparent reason.’</p><p>‘We want to thank you too’, Phillip said through the open window.</p><p>‘All in a day’s…’ he began before he saw Anne holding his hand.</p><p>‘You do know that officially makes you lawbreakers and could end you up in jail, right?’ he asked.</p><p>‘AAAHHH!’ Phillip shrieked when he saw that their hands were interlocked, ‘Do you realise what you’ve done??’</p><p>‘That’s right’, the policeman said, ‘You’ve been caught breaking the law!’</p><p>‘No…please’, Anne begged, ‘Have mercy! We have a young son who needs us!’</p><p>‘You have a child?’ the policeman asked as he jumped off his horse, climbed the steps at the front of the sleeper car and opened the door, ‘That’s a double offence!’</p><p>‘No, no, just…please!’ Anne begged when her door opened, ‘We’ll do anything to negate the charge.’</p><p>‘It’s too late for that now…’ the policeman began before he saw the rest of the troupe standing outside with sad faces.</p><p>‘Come on, mate’, Lettie sobbed, ‘Anne and Phillip are important members of this here circus who would never break the law intentionally. Also, how can simply being in love be illegal?’</p><p>‘You know what, you’re right’, the policeman said, ‘Since I’m in a sympathetic mood, I’ll let them off this time, but that doesn’t stop it from being illegal.’</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Epilogue</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>‘Everyone, I’ve got another important announcement’, P.T said from the front of the carriage, ‘Due to the popularity of the show across the country, I’ve decided that we’ll be travelling from town to town permanently.’</p><p>‘Yay!’ everyone shouted.</p><p>‘At least we have plans to home-school Julian when the time comes’, Phillip said to Anne.</p><p>‘Yes’, Anne said, Also, by the sound of it, he’s going to be taught in the ultimate classroom as well…’</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>To be Continued…</strong>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Please read the sequel; it is called "Growing Up".</p><p>Thanks for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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